Contents

The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories based upon the ISO standard ISO 3166-1. The list also includes but does not rank unrecognized but de facto independent countries. The figures in the following table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers).

Figures used in this article are mainly based on the latest censuses and official estimates (or projections). Where there is not such updated national data available, figures are based on the 2012 estimates provided by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.[1]

The names of dependent territories as well as recognized states with no or limited control over their territory are shown in italics.

Area figures given here are taken from various (usually unspecified) sources.

The European Union is a sui generis supranational union possessing "country-like" characteristics. The entity is composed of 28 member countries. Its population density has been estimated at 116 people per km², and it would be ranked 95th if it were included in the list. (population: 506,913,394 on January 1, 2014,[2] area: 4,324,782 km2). See also: List of regional organizations by population.

The most densely populated sovereign nation is Monaco, with a population density of 18,068 people/km2.